Plastic painting the plastics?

I'm thinking of plastidipping the plastics on my 650R. I know what dipping is, but I've never done it. I'm also curious how it will hold up on the plastics.

I read that gas drips can peel the plasti dip, and since my tank is fine, I'm thinking of not doing the tank. Because the plastics and tank are red I'd like to get red and and try an make it close. I'd then like to replace the 650R stickers on the side plastics.

Questions:

Has anyone done this?

Do I need the glossifier if I want it to be glossy and match the tank?

Is there a major difference besides price of the Plasti-dip vs the Rust-Oleum stuff?

Pic of the 650R now:

Scratches

I did the front bumper on my Miata with Rustoleum matte black plasti-dip type product. The largest problem I have seen is that "orange peel" is hard to avoid with plasti-dip and you will not get a surface that you will genuinely see yourself reflected in.

My wife likes to joke that plasti-dip gives things a "rubbermaid" quality. It is actually an apt description. I have heard of it being used on bikes with no problems.

The rustoleum stuff worked pretty well on my Miata. I also tried it on the plastic e-brake lever cover and it didnt hold up where my hand rubs it. That being said, I wasnt disappointed.

It might not hold up if you try it in areas where your boots or other articles rub it. Many paints would scratch under those circumstances anyway though.

You could either fill in any scratches with bondo, prime, paint, & clear it for about the same effort. Or you could just spend $240 or so and get a new middle fairing from Kawasaki that will already match your bike's color.

Edit, NVM....I forgot your bike had faded plastics. I would just pull all of your plastics off and have them all painted. Use your tank for the paint scanning, it'll be closer than your plastics. Poor bike appears to have sat outside in the sun alot.

I don't think you'll get a close match with the plastidip, even with the glossifier it still comes out looking worse than actual paint.

I did my bike with the Eastwood product. I had no issues with it as far as wear but I was very careful when filling it up. Gas did eat the plastidip on my BMW.

Unless you want to redo it periodically, honestly I'd just paint it. I've done a couple bikes now and both have turned out looking nice.

Apex- I have scratches and sun fading going on. So even a Rubbermaid look may be better than my current plastics.

Yamaha- yes PO had it parked outiside, and I park it outside uncovered when I am at work. So all day in the sun. I keep it in the garage at night.

I was looking for a GRM option. $600+ for all new plastics isn't it. I got a SWMBO and two kids, I'm poor man...

Nick- when you say painted what do you use? Cans or sprayer?

I found a cheap 28 gallon Campbell Hausfeld compressor on CL. I bought a cheap set of HVLP guns from that PPG automotive paint shop down at the end of Papermill road. I took the guy down there with me so he could talk to them about the different paints and let him pick out what he wanted. Don't remember what it was but it was one of PPGs discounted lines, base/clear. I made a small booth on the back patio out of 8mil plastic with household AC box filters an all the walls for ventilation and sprayed away. This was on a GSXR100, I had to repair some of the fairings and I painted the wheel centers and polished the lips for the guy. Here are the only pics I took of it, wish they were better. The only thing I didn't paint was the rear cowl, he bought that after I was done with the bike.

That was the first bike I painted. This was the second, Don't judge me for the color scheme, he picked out the colors I just sprayed the paint lol. GSXR750

That was the cheapest farm and implement single stage enamel that we could find at tractor supply company. I have no idea how it held up because he got rid of the bike just after that but it was pretty soft so I can't recommend it.

This is what I did to mine with Eastwoods elasti wrap. This one was out of the spray cans, in my experience it is of higher quality than the plasti dip.

That is with the glossifier/clear you can see the texture here

But it peeled off nice and easy

BTW, I sprayed the plasti dip on my E21 with the same air compressor and gun I used to paint the bikes.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is don't be afraid to give it a try yourself. The great thing about paint is if you mess up you can just start all over again.

On another note, have you attempted to buff it out any? I'd color sand it with some very fine grit paper, 2000 or finer, and buff it back out. You may be able to put some shine back in it and make it liveable.

octavious wrote: Apex- I have scratches and sun fading going on. So even a Rubbermaid look may be better than my current plastics.

Just trying to set your expectations accurately.

Like was said, you might try some wetsanding and buffing if you just want to refresh it. Otherwise, plastidip is a good solution. That being said, it might need to be redone every few years, but variety is the spice of life.

Nick would 1500 grit work? I have a stack of that from a previous project.

Sure, just have to buff a little more and be careful not to sand through. I'd guess most of those scratches will be less noticeable if not gone afterwards. All but the deepest anyway.

I know this will sounds strange but all you need to make it 80% better is a can of krylon clear. Gas safe not really but if your spilling gas that far down the sides your already in trouble. Wipe the panels down with 90% isopropanol alky and dry with a hair dryer warm the panel just a bit and spray on the clear. let it dry over night the white scratch's will be gone. The big digs will still be messed up but you'll have a cheap improvement with little work

44Dwarf wrote: I know this will sounds strange but all you need to make it 80% better is a can of krylon clear. Gas safe not really but if your spilling gas that far down the sides your already in trouble. Wipe the panels down with 90% isopropanol alky and dry with a hair dryer warm the panel just a bit and spray on the clear. let it dry over night the white scratch's will be gone. The big digs will still be messed up but you'll have a cheap improvement with little work

This. Try this first and if you aren't happy then not much time lost/invested and it will give you some practice before you strip it and paint it for real. I wouldn't bother with plastidip in this instance.

I plastidipped my headlight cowl and it has held up great! Like said before, it's texture is similar to rubbermaid. The benefit with dip is you can peel that E36 M3 off and redo it if you want. It's not permanent, so it can buy you some time until you figure out what you want to do permanently or keep it that way.

I'll be spray can dipping my bike at some point. Haven't done it yet because I don't know if I want to keep my tail section or slim it yet.

My gf has her wheels dipped(shop did it, not rattle can), she's had it on for 2 years now and they are starting to peel due to a tire shop putting new tires on. If she decides to keep the car, I will either paint or powder them.

All in all, if you want a somewhat inexpensive repair, go clear coat like previously stated or plastidip everything red.

44dwarf and clutch- so are you saying don't sand just hit with clear? I ask because I have sun fading on the tail section that is much lighter than the rest of the panel.

YES Do Not Sand it. The object is to let the clear fill the scratch and change the way the light refracts out of it the white will turn red. even at 3-4 ft you will not see it. Best part is it cheap and easy and you don't loose riding time etc. If you want to see how well it would work wash the bike and look at it while wet.

44Dwarf- tried the clear and it came out good. But...I have a couple runs. Do I just sand the clear off and re-spray?

Yes any sanding scratches will fill in with the new clear and fade to red. Don't sand anymore then needed.

44Dwarf wrote: Yes any sanding scratches will fill in with the new clear and fade to red. Don't sand anymore then needed.

Yup yup yup. Nice fine grit with one of those foam sanding blocks. Use your fingers and frequently run them over the spot you're trying to fix to feel when you've got it smooth. Remember to take breaks and step away a few feet. When you're working on it and inches away it's easy to get carried away.

I've been amazed at how well old #7 compounding followed by a good washing and a quick spray of clear works. but it is easy to get runs

I've painted and repaired a lot of fading bike plastics. I use a red scotchbrite pad to scuff with lots of purple degreaser as a lubricant/cleaner, Rinse with water, let dry and paint with whatever paint, or clear you want. Works mint.

Well I painted it all. A couple pieces came out good, but the two large pieces have lots of runs. I got some before pics and will get some after sad post.

I have a feeling I'm going to suffer from sanding elbow soon...

Multiple light coats are better than a couple heavy ones. Don't get discouraged, knock it back down flat and try again. Do the not runny pieces l look better?

Yes the not runny pieces look good.